The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mr Royston Brady, has told Fianna Fáil colleagues he is seeking a nomination to run for the party in the Dublin constituency in the European Parliament election in June. Arthur Beesley, Political Reporter, reports.
The Dublin South-East TD, Mr Eoin Ryan, has already declared his interest in running in the poll, where Fianna Fáil is developing a two-candidate strategy. With no other party candidate in the race since Mr Seán Haughey TD ruled himself out last autumn, it is virtually certain Fianna Fáil will ratify their candidacies after nominations close next Monday.
The party's official spokeswoman would say only that the closing date for nominations was January 19th. "The party will then be in a position to confirm the people who have been successfully nominated," she said.
However, it is understood members of the Dublin Central comhairle in Fianna Fáil were told at a meeting on Monday night Mr Brady will seek a nomination. In addition, the meeting was told Mr Brady will stand as a candidate in the north inner city ward in the local election which takes place on the same day as the European poll, June 11th.
While Mr Brady has developed a high profile since becoming Lord Mayor last year, the decision to run in the two elections suggests he wants to retain his seat on Dublin City Council if he fails in the European poll.
The bar on the dual mandate means Mr Brady will be unable to sit on the local authority and in the European Parliament. He has been a member of Dublin City Council since the last local election in 1999.
Labour is running the former TD Mr Proinsias De Rossa and the Trinity College Dublin academic Ms Ivana Bacik in the European election in Dublin. The outgoing Green MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna, will be a candidate. Ms Mary-Lou McDonald is running for Sinn Féin. Fine Gael has yet to select a candidate in Dublin.